Braised Short Ribs

This recipe is from the show The Sandwich King on Food Network.  I never thought about cooking short ribs, honestly I'm not sure I even knew they existed.  The Sandwich King made it look effortless and easy, and overall it was.  It was a perfect excuse to use my new casserole dish I got last week, and it was fun trying something new.  I'm not a huge pot roast or stew kind of person, but Blake is and I knew he'd like this recipe.  I had to adapt the recipe a bit because of not having an item or two, but it still turned out great.  You can find the recipe below or check out the link above. 

Bacon & Gouda Sandwich

Bacon.  It's the answer to many questions in life.  What should we do for dinner tonight? Bacon.  What do you think would make this recipe even better? Bacon.  Not only is bacon delicious, but it's all the rage lately.  We see bacon band aids, mints, toothpaste, and air fresheners, so you know your significant other/friends will love you if you make them this sandwich.  Blake and I rarely eat a normal BLT sandwich, and when we do it's usually done to highlight our fresh tomatoes from the garden and not the bacon (weird).  I wanted to make an updated version of the bacon sandwich, where all the elements added to the bacon without taking attention away from it (that's better).  While prepping the bacon I kept thinking about how I wished I had peppered bacon and so then this happened.....

Apple Pie Empanadas

Not many people spend their spring break cooking homemade desserts, but I'm not surprised that's what I did today.  After an hour of researching how to convert CR2 files into JPEG files, I finally got to post this delicious dessert.  This dessert was inspired by two of the best fast food restaurants out there... McDonalds and Taco Bell.  I saw a guy eating one of those microwaveable apple pies while running errands and I was thinking of how to update the idea of a hand held dessert.  In the process of making it, I realized it also reminded me of the empanadas my dad loves from Taco Bell.  Either way, it most likely has far less sugar and preservatives than both of its fast food counterparts.  Also, you can easily make them ahead of time and heat them shortly before serving. 

Take Time Tuesday: It's Spring Time!

I've been trying to get blogging these past couple of weeks, and somehow something always gets in the way.  I was sad when the Little Things linkup ended that used to be every Friday through Hello Hue, but amazingly a friend of mine at Live Half Full  just started a Take Time Tuesday linkup that I am excited to have been invited to! It's basically the same concept of taking a moment to be thankful in the little things that make us smile.  Mine have been from the past couple of weeks and I'm excited to share them with you!

Must Have Kitchen Items

Alright guys, it's that time of year when we are all beginning to worry about the lb's we've gathered over the winter months while hibernating.  The swimsuits are already being put out to remind us that we need to start kicking it back into high gear.  With that always in the back of my mind, I thought I'd share some of the healthy items I always have in our kitchen.  These items are not only good for us, and have proven health benefits, but they will also end up saving you money. 

Little Things: healthy living and memories

Quick and Easy Tomato Soup

Blake and I both talked over dinner about how Tomato Soup was not something we enjoyed as children.  I read somewhere that every 7-years our tastes change, which I think it a great thing! It makes sense too, as we live our lives, we are exposed to more flavors and flavor combinations.  I would never in a million years believed I would like brussel sprouts, but low and behold the last time I made them I loved them! I also used to hate sweet potatoes, and Blake and I currently eat them about once or twice a week.  This soup is quick, cheap, and easy, which are three of my favorite things.